Hong Kong stocks finished Friday with a flourish as investors were cheered by easing tensions in the China-US trade row while also betting on another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve next week.
The Hang Seng Index jumped 0.98 percent, or 265.06 points, to 27,352.69.
Source : AFP

U.S. stocks closed mostly lower on Friday after easing trade tensions and central bank policy moves briefly buoyed investor sentiment earlier in the day.
The S&P 500 was down less than 0.1% to end near 3,007. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 36 points, or 0.1%, to finish around...

Oil futures finished lower on Friday, with both U.S. and international benchmark crude posting sizable weekly falls as worries about the prospect of rising inventories appeared to overshadow a U.S.-China tariff detente.
West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery fell 24 cents, or 0.4%, to...

The data published by the US Census Bureau today revealed that retail and food services sail in August rose 0.4% on a monthly basis to $526.1 billion and beat the market expectation for an increase of 0.2%. On a yearly basis, retail sales grew by 4.1%.
Total sales for the June 2019 through August 2019 period were up 3.7% from the same period a year ago. The June 2019 to July 2019 percent change was revised from up 0.7% to up 0.8%, the publication further revealed.
The initial market reaction helped the USD recover a small portion of its recent losses and the US Dollar Index was last down 0.22% on the day at 98.15.
Source: FXStreet

The outlook for China's manufacturing sector deteriorated more than expected in May, as weakness in the domestic economy combined with escalation in the trade standoff with the U.S.
The manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) dropped to 49.4, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday. That's worse than the 49.9 forecast in a Bloomberg survey of...

U.S. economic growth last quarter was revised down by less than expected amid stronger consumption and exports than initially reported, suggesting the expansion was on relatively firm footing before President Donald Trump's escalation of the trade war with China.
Inflation-adjusted gross domestic product increased at a 3.1% annualized rate in the January-March period, compared with an...

The main focus is on Private Capital Expenditure where a small decline in expenditure for Q1 2019 was expected on the street. Analysts at ANZ Bank Australia were noting that Business conditions had not recovered since the deterioration in late 2018, while trade tension overseas sows doubt, adding:
"Mining capex is nearing the end of its downturn and plans for 2019-20 are upbeat. We expect only...

Orders for durable or long-lasting goods fell sharply in April, mostly because of falling demand for Boeing jets and new cars and trucks. Business investment also continued to weaken, reflecting worries about the China trade fight and a slower U.S. economy.
Orders for durable goods ” products meant to last at least three years ” dropped 2.1% in April, the government said Friday. The...

U.K. consumers unexpectedly kept up spending last month as retail sales beat economists forecasts.
The volume of goods sold in stores and online was unchanged following three consecutive months of gains, the Office for National Statistics said Friday. Expectations were for a 0.3% drop.
Sales were boosted by warm weather and a record three-month growth rate for online purchases....

The German economy rebounded in the first quarter after narrowly avoiding recession late last year, led by a strong rise in household consumption and a booming construction sector, the Federal Statistical Office said Thursday.
Germany's gross domestic product--the broadest measure of goods and services produced in an economy--expanded 0.4% in the three months through March from the previous...

Energy and transport costs pushed U.K. inflation back above target last month.
Consumer prices rose 2.1% from a year earlier, ending a three- month spell of inflation below the Bank of Englands 2 percent goal, Office for National Statistics figures published Wednesday show. The figure was slightly below the 2.2% forecast by economists.
The pickup, from 1.9% in March, was driven by the...

U.S. retail sales unexpectedly declined in April for the second time in three months, weighed down by soft sales of autos and building materials and suggesting consumer spending will remain subdued this quarter.
The value of overall sales declined 0.2% after a 1.7% increase the prior month that was the strongest gain since 2017, according to Commerce Department figures released...

Germanys economy emerged from stagnation at the beginning of 2019, returning to growth despite a slump in manufacturing that continues to plague the nation.
The figures, showing 0.4% growth, point to some strength across the euro area in the first quarter amid better-than-expected growth in a number of countries. But manufacturing remains weak and the regions outlook...

Hong Kong stocks finished Friday with a flourish as investors were cheered by easing tensions in the China-US trade row while also betting on another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve next week.
The Hang Seng Index jumped 0.98 percent, or 265.06 points, to 27,352.69.
Source : AFP

U.S. stocks closed mostly lower on Friday after easing trade tensions and central bank policy moves briefly buoyed investor sentiment earlier in the day.
The S&P 500 was down less than 0.1% to end near 3,007. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 36 points, or 0.1%, to finish around...

Oil futures finished lower on Friday, with both U.S. and international benchmark crude posting sizable weekly falls as worries about the prospect of rising inventories appeared to overshadow a U.S.-China tariff detente.
West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery fell 24 cents, or 0.4%, to...